Rachel Félix (born Elisa-Rachel Félixl) was a great French actress and one of the most prominent masters of tragedy in the 19th century. Born on February 21, 1821, in Mumpf, Switzerland, into a family of itinerant Jewish peddlers. She made her debut on the Parisian stage at the Théâtre du Gymnase in 1837. In 1838 she joined the troupe of the legendary Comédie-Française, where she rapidly became its leading star. Rachel revolutionized French theatre by reviving interest in the classical tragedies of Racine and Corneille, which had been considered outdated at the time. Among her most famous roles were Phèdre ("Phèdre"), Camille ("Horace"), Émilie ("Cinna"), and the title role in Eugène Scribe and Ernest Legouvé's "Adrienne Lecouvreur". The Bakhrushin Theatre Museum's online collection features letters mentioning Eliza Rachel, a photograph of her as Phèdre, and a sculptural portrait of the actress.